CO129-468 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1921 [6-8] — Page 523

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that it would be considerably increased, since in the figures given above no provision is made for the salaries

of any European officers except the Island Inspector, and

it would, I should assume, be necessary to incur expense either by the appointment of extra staff or by allowances for special duty in providing for the duties now discharged

by the civil officers.

20.

It seems clear therefore that the local

revenue would not in any case suffice to meet the local expenditure on civil administrative services but this

deficit would only be a small part of the expense which would fall upon His Majesty's Government. As indicated

above, if the mainland were to revert to China either as pure Chinese territory or as a Treaty Port, Weihairei would

in a short time cease to exist as a commercial port. Steamers would cease to call and it would be necessary for the Naval Authorities to make their own arrangements for

It is sending stores to the fleet, conveying reliefs, etc. unlikely that it would be worth while for the Chinese Authorities to maintain a post office at Port Edward and provision would have to be made for the conveyance of the Naval meils from Chefoo. The telegraph cable would certainly not be worth maintaining and, unless Liu Kung Tao is to be cut off from the outside world, it would be necessary to establish a wireless station on the Island. Moreover, as the lighthouses would cease to be of any value for merchant shipping it is not improbable that the Chinese Government would refuse to incur the cost of maintaining them, and as they would be required in the interests of the Navy, His Majesty's Government would either heve to maintain them or to repay to China the cost of maintenance.

Apart from the question of expense, there would be other disadvantages. The loss of banking facilities would cause inconvenience and there would probably be considerable difficulty in making contracts for

such

21.